Lawsuits Allege Church Leaders Concealed Child Sexual Abuse in Los Angeles, California

Federal lawsuits filed since December allege that leaders of the International Churches of Christ (ICOC) covered up sexual abuse of children as young as 3 years old, according to reports from the Los Angeles Times and Roy’s Report. One lawsuit, filed by 16 plaintiffs, claims that church leaders knew about the abuse of both adults and children and actively concealed it to avert discovery by child protective services and the police. The suits describe Kids Kingdom, the ICOC’s children’s ministry, as a “demented playground for sexual abuse.” These are allegations, not findings by a court.

The ICOC was co-founded in 1979 by Kip McKean, who founded the International Christian Church (ICC) in 2006 after resigning from the ICOC. The lawsuits accuse McKean of encouraging silence and telling members that reporting abuses would hurt the church. He is named in the allegations, and the reports do not describe any response from him.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the allegations span from 1987 to 2012, and some alleged abusers are still active in church leadership. Of the 16 plaintiffs, 10 said at least some of their abuse occurred in Los Angeles. The reports identify David Saracino, a convicted pedophile, as an ICOC member in Los Angeles in the 1990s who worked in Kids Kingdom. The Los Angeles Times reports that four women allege he sexually assaulted them when they were between 3 and 9 years old.

Roy’s Report describes a separate lawsuit filed by five women in California, who allege a “systemic scheme of abuse” by the ICOC. The plaintiffs are Darleen Diaz, Bernice Perez, Ashley Ruiz, Salud Gonzalez and Elena Peltola. That suit alleges that ICOC leaders and affiliated ministries actively concealed sexual abuse of minors from child protective services and law enforcement. It identifies Saracino, a convicted sexual offender, as the abuser of Diaz and Perez. The Los Angeles Times account names Saracino as the alleged abuser of four women, while Roy’s Report names him in connection with two of the five plaintiffs in its account. The two reports do not state whether these are the same cases.

The five women also allege financial pressure within the church. According to Roy’s Report, the lawsuit claims members were required to tithe at least 10 percent of their gross income and contribute significantly more for missions. It further alleges that leadership interrogated members about their income and demanded copies of pay stubs. The reports do not say whether the ICOC disputes these claims.

The women also filed a RICO lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, naming Hope Worldwide, Mercy Worldwide, the International Christian Church and the City of Angels International Christian Church as defendants, according to Roy’s Report. The ICOC, which Roy’s Report says claims more than 700 churches in 150 countries, has not responded to requests for comment.